Learn Together

This activity helps children learn to focus and build their vocabulary while developing hand-eye coordination and sequencing skills.

Watch the Farm Animal Puppet video on the CMOM YouTube Channel and follow along to create your favorite barnyard pals!

Now use your puppet and sing along to Old MacDonald!

Materials

  • Paper
  • Scissors
  • Crayons, markers, or colored pencils
  • Tape or glue
  • Your singing voice!

Make Together

  1. Make a paper puppet body. Watch the video on CMOM’s YouTube Channel and follow along! Use these directions for help.
  2. Orient your paper horizontally. Fold the paper in half lengthwise like a hot dog bun. Open it back up.
  3. Fold the bottom edge to the middle seam. Do the same to the top edge.
  4. While keeping these ends folded, fold the paper in half again lengthwise. You will end up with a skinny rectangle.
  5. Turn the rectangle so it is very tall. Fold the bottom edge to the top edge. You will end up with a shorter rectangle.
  6. Grabbing the layer you folded to the top, fold it back to the bottom of your short rectangle.
  7. Flip it over and do the same to the other layer.
  8. Now you have a puppet! The 2 folded edges are the mouth and your fingers go in the openings in the back.
  9. Find the finger holes in the back of the puppet. If you want to tape the remaining layers together so it is easier to find them, you can.
  10. Decorate your puppet: What animals live on a farm? You may consider making a chicken, dog, duck, cow, horse, or pig!
  11. What will your animal puppet look like? What color will it be? Does it have a beak or a snout? Does it have pointy ears that stick out? Does it have horns or feathers?
  12. Once you know what animal you’d like to make, collect some paper, crayons, pencils, or markers. You can cut paper and glue or tape it to your puppet to create features like eyes, ears, wings, or a beak. You can draw features like eyes, a tongue, spots, or a nose. Be creative!
  13. Does your animal need a home? Use the same materials to decorate the inside of an old shoe box that will become a nice cozy home for your new farm friend.
  14. Sing Old MacDonald! with your new farm animal friend. What sound does your animal make? Sing about your farm animal puppet, or make more puppets to add to your farm!